NOTD- Avon Advanced Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil.

 
 

As a former Avon Rep, I still make time to have a wander through the brochures I often find lying outside my front door, not just because I am a very loyal person, but also because I believe that they do some fantastic products at unbelievable prices, even if they are a little bit behind the other beauty brands.
 
So, when I came across their Moroccan Argan Oil leave in treatment from their Advanced Techniques range, I had to squint real hard. Firstly, I have been trying to find something like this ever since the current craze for Moroccan Argan oil products came about, but mostly because it was so cheap!

Now, usually, I am not very sceptical about products being so cheap, in fact quite the opposite, but I just had to question this, even though I did eventually decide to purchase it particularly as it was selling for £5.50. Having done my research on Argan oil in the past, I knew it was relatively cheap to get hold of without costing the Earth, but somehow this appears to be a bit too cheap and I am wondering whether it is too good to be true?
 
I have always believed that the key to a woman's beauty is through her long, silky flowing hair, there is just something so enticing about it. I won't bore you with the details of all the wonderful things Argan oil can do for your hair but, I will tell you that it has taken the beauty world by storm in the last couple of months.  As keen as I am to try this however, I will not be holding my breath. Read on to find out why:
 
Now, I am assuming that as this is 'Moroccan Argan Oil' my initial impression was that all Argan Oil had to be brought via fair trade means. In regards to this, Avon claims that it has been 'sourced responsibly', yet the question still remains as to just exactly how much Argan oil this contains?
 
On closer inspection of the bottle and ingredients, it seems the 30ml bottle is full of nothing but silicone's with Argan Oil being right down the bottom of the list. (Appears 13th). I have nothing against Silicone's mind you, my hair seems to like it, but my argument here is that are Avon simply misleading their consumers just to simply capitalise on the Argan Oil hype? And if it was 'sourced responsibly' would Avon retail it at £5.50? Having said that though, I am pretty sure this will fly off their shelves...

Furthermore, what about the Berber women that form as part of the farm that harvests the oil? They each take some form of percentage to build back into their community so if so many of these products contain Argan Oil then does it not make you wonder why they are not walking around with designer handbags driving around in prestigious cars?

If Avon ARE deliberately misleading their consumers with the incorrect product description and the misconception that the 'Moroccan Argan Oil' in this will work wonders for their hair and by making sales on the basis that consumers believe a proportion of the profits will be returned to the women of Berber, then I despair.

If in doubt ladies, leave it out, I think I'd rather stick to the 'Real Mcoy' - Sorry Avon!

xxx

 

Taking a break- Hasta La Vista Baby!

There comes a point in life where you just need to switch off for a while and recharge your batteries and have some much needed 'me' time. We become so engrossed in our day to day routine of being a daughter, wife and mother that you almost forget your nearest and dearest around you and what is happening in their lives. Sadly, we sometimes take it all for granted yet, as I have matured, nothing matters more to me than family, health and happiness and it is only because of my family, I am who I am today.

The simpler things in life are the best and believe it or not, free. I cannot remember the last time I took a brisk walk outside, watched a really girly DVD or just simply sat down with a mug of my favourite latte and a really good book for a few hours.

Sadly, it is the world we live in, there just are not enough hours in the day to do everything you want to and by the time you've put the kids to bed, cleared away the dinner dishes and cleaned the entire kitchen, all you want to do is just crawl into your nice warm bed and sleep till the next morning.

I am a firm believer in 'life is what you make of it' so I have decided to take a bit of a break from blogging and using social media extensively and focus on the other commitments and family life I have and everything else in between.  No one could be more gutted about this than I am but, it is something I need to do at this moment in time.

In the meantime, as soon as I have accomplished a few things that I have wanted to do for a long time, (enrolling on a Sushi making class is one of them!) I'll be back, bigger and better!

Hasta La Vista dolls! :-)

xxx

 

Sigma Beauty- Like now on Facebook.

If you've done a bit of research on Sigma, you'll come to know that their brushes are the closest to MAC ones, only more affordable. Some have even been reported to be better believe it or not particularly the F80. Ill be working with Sigma a little closely and its page is now on Facebook! Like the page today and be the first to keep up to date with new products and promotions, have open discussions and share your thoughts on those all important brushes and make up. Reviews will be coming soon so keep your eyes peeled! :-)

Like the page here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/HinnahkhalifaSigmabeauty


Shop now: http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=285947


xxx

Toppik- "Add Hair To Your Hair"- Review.

I am so glad I have finally managed to knuckle down and write a review on Toppik especially as I have had it for more than a year now and I feel it is definitely worthy of a mention.

Hands up if in your teens you've experimented with all the hairstyles under the sun, tight buns and ponytails, continuous use of the 'brick style' hair straighteners that were out then and to make it worst, cheap shampoos, hairsprays and mousses? Guilty!

So when you get to post 25 and find that your once thick smooth crowning glory is not what it once seemed, you become panic stricken. I certainly did. I began to reach out for all the hair growth supplements, thickening sprays and shampoos that were on the market, mashed up eggs, avocado and bananas and put in my hair hoping that by the following morning, my hair would resemble Rapunzel's which of course it didn't. The final straw was when I chose to spend over £100 on Nourkrin Hair tablets after reading such great reviews on it and it did nothing for me after three whole tedious and expensive months, I decided to give up and live with the fact that my crowning area may never be thick and healthy again.

After all, it was nobodys fault but my own. Throughout my teen years, I neglected my hair simple as that. With each day came a different hairstyle, each of them tightly pulled at the scalp, lots of hair sprays and mousse, never using a heat defence spray with my cheap Nicky Clarke straightener as the emphasis on it then was quite so much then and sadly, I could go on.

So, one day whilst sitting with a cup of coffee reading the newspaper, I came across an advert for a product named Toppik, Hair Building Fibres, to you and me, its basically a coloured powder in a discreet moulded container that could be easily mistaken for a food sprinkle. Having read the great informative reviews and amazed by the pictures (I'm usually a sucker for things like this!) I decided to try out the £4.95 seven day free trial. And I was amazed at how it really did work!

So, how does it actually work? Well, this is what the guys at Toppik say, "Toppik is an amazing new complex of tiny, microfibre"hairs" that perfectly blend with your hair. Toppik fibres are made of the same organic Keratin protein as your own hair. Through a unique process, these fibres are restructured to merge undetectably with your hair. You will instantly see a fuller, more natural looking head of hair than you could ever imagine"



Unfortunately, I never took any pictures when I first used this, but heres one taken from the official website.

These come in an impressive nine colours ranging from black to grey and even white (I chose dark brown as it was closest to my hair colour) and are suitable for both men and women. The best part is that it is a completely safe and natural way to eliminate baldness and thinning hair with no reported side effects. You just simply shake it gently over your thinning areas and within approximately thirty seconds, several tiny coloured hair fibres will lock on to your own hair, gradually building density and greater coverage. You can then simply comb over it to do your usual hairstyle and it will not be affected by the use of hairspray etc. Yes, it is really as simple as that! In fact, the results were so astonishing that two female colleagues at work decided to purchase the full sized bottle and have never looked back.

What are the down sides? Well to be honest, I cant think of any, this product is actually so advanced , I haven't come across anything like it since I brought it. I wouldn't use it everyday as it may be a bit much but for weddings and parties especially where you ll be the main focus, its great. It is completely natural looking even from a close view and can simply be popped in your handbag for topping up during the day, although I found you don't really need to except of course when you wash your hair in which case, it can be simply reapplied.
This works best on small areas of the hair so it may not work well for you if you have several large areas of thining hair and bald patches.

Toppik will definitely be staying with me for as long as its available especially as it doesn't cost the Earth. (You all know just how much I love a bargain!) A travel sized version costs £6 and £19.95 for a regular size which I can guarantee you will last you a long time. If you re having similar problems with baldness and thinning patches, don't bother wasting your time and money on seeking other products as this is the one!

Toppik can be purchased here.http://www.hair123.co.uk/acatalog/toppik-Hair-Building-Fibres.html.

It can also be purchased on Amazon and EBay for a slightly lower price :)

xxx



Yummy Mummy- Beauty on a budget.

I have always vowed to be a 'yummy mummy', even before I had children. On becoming a mummy though, I realised that it is not always feasible to be 'yummy'! yet, like my wedding vows, I was determined to stick to this vow forever, yes even in 'Sickness and in Health'



So, you have a beautiful baby to look after, your body aches and the sudden realisation hits you, you can no longer spend time on them luxury salon facials and blow dries let alone a leisurely soak in your own bathtub at home. Besides, in between doctors appointments, health clinic visits, grocery shopping and play groups, how on earth do you find the time?



To make it worst, on one particular morning, you've barely slept, you have puffy eyes to confirm it, you have a screaming baby, still need to shower, coffee's gone cold, make up the baby bag and oh the postman's at the door with the package you ordered last week which of course you've completely forgotten about. Hubby dearest has already left for work and you are trying your absolute hardest to hold back the tears. AND, you need to be out of the house in the next 45 minutes for that baby clinic at the doctors.



You look a state, but of course still rush to answer the door when the postman sympathetically says "Bad morning love?" Surely, you don't look as bad as you feel you mutter to yourself. On top of it, you've probably given the poor man a fright first thing in the morning.



The point I'm trying to make here though is that it of course doesn't have to be like this. "Look good, feel good" has always been my many mottos in life and you'd be surprised at just how true the saying is. It is very easy to let yourself go once you've had a baby and I am aware that staying groomed may not be on the top of every ones priority list, but, I reckon, it definitely should be on the list.



I’ve unfortunately come across several women that are constantly fed up. They frantically push their little babies and toddlers around in pushchairs sporting a greasy head of hair, sweatpants, flip flops (even in the middle of winter!) poor eyebrows that haven’t seen a pair of tweezers in a while, blotchy skin and I could go on and on. The fact is, it is these very women that suddenly lack confidence, refuse to socialise and become frustrated and depressed. Their mental well being takes a toll but sadly, there shouldn’t be an excuse for it, I mean the baby does at some point decide to sleep surely? Chances are, your child will be too embarrassed for you to drop them to school or ask to have friends around for tea.

For those of you that have been in employment, you’ll come to realise that multi tasking, time management and organisational skills are just as crucial in motherhood as they are in the employment world.



Budget beauty has now begun to appeal to me more than ever before and I’m all for it, besides, groceries, nappies, milk, wipes and the rest hardly come cheap and so, that much desired tub of £30 Clarins moisturiser can be forgotten about for the time being.

Thankfully, many supermarkets have now started to stock a wide range of beauty products both branded and their own brand which definitely comes in handy when doing your weekly shop and they often have many products on promotion. Surely, we deserve that on top of the two magazines we've brought, the tub of Ben and Jerry’s and the bar of Galaxy for all the hard work and running around we do! Feels like being on constant runs of Duracell batteries at times!



If you’re a yummy mummy, on the go, in an endless cycle of washing the dishes, putting the washing on, making the dinner, changing nappies, feeding, bathing and forever cleaning up after your baby, you may find the list of budget beauty items I have compiled below of some use. The point is that they are affordable and time effective and have been carefully selected to suit the needs of all mums alike:

These foam hair dyes are a godsend! When your roots need doing and bubbas fast asleep, whip this on, leave on for the recommended time (most are 20 minutes), make yourself a cuppa and voila! The best thing is that the majority of those do not contain ammonia and are non drip so you are less likely to get it everywhere. There you have it, salon results at home in 20 minutes. Available in a wide range of colours and other brands such as L’Oreal, Garnier and Clairol. Always read the instructions and do a strand test prior to using.



Save: Superdrug Colour Radiance 10 at £4.99.

Let’s face it, you are not going to get the time or energy to have your 5 a day religiously, give your tresses a two hour conditioning treatment or give yourself a manicure soaking your nails in a nice bowl of hot olive oil. Now, I wouldn’t normally recommend a food supplement as there is really no substitute for a healthy balanced diet. Unfortunately due to the stresses of being a new mum, it’s likely that your skin will become dry, your nails will become brittle and your hair would have dulled. I have actually used this once in the past and I was impressed. Yes, it does take time to actually see a real difference and counter the loss of 'mummy glow'. It may be that you do eat healthily and drink plenty of water, but sometimes our skin just needs that extra boost.




Perfectil is a notional supplement for hair, skin and nails containing 22 nutrients designed to give you glossy hair, a clear complexion and strong nails. It provides antioxidant carotenoids to protect skin tissues; plant extracts such as grape seed extract for a healthy complexion and vitamins and minerals for blood circulation and tissue formation. Best taken with your main meal.




Save: Superdrug Hair, skin and nails tablets at £4.99.

So, you're on the go and need a little something to give your skin that oomph, a moisturiser with a hint of a tint to give your skin that glowy dewy look or as Garnier says, " A Miracle Skin Perfecter" I have tried a sample sachet of this and loved how it felt on my skin. Bear in mind though, they didn't intend to make this product for heavy coverage so don't expect it to hide all your angry spots or blemishes. I wouldn't really suggest this if you are prone to oily skin either. This product would definitely be perfect for Summer, its light and smells lovely and gives your skin a gorgeous sheen and glow. Best of all though, it contains SPF 15, mineral pigments and vitamin C.



Save: Make up Academy BB cream at £4.00.

This has got to be the best thing since sliced bread. In fact, I love it so much, I have one tube on my dressing table and another in my handbag, its permanent home.
This is in fact a skin protectant with an orange balm like consistency. It can be used for everything from minor skin irritations, chapped lips, excessively dry lips, sunburns, windburns according to what it says on the tube itself and its extremely effective too.

People are always wondering what a good product to help heal dry/chapped lips, well this is it! I should mention though that this does tend to get a little sticky at times and the smell may be overpowering for some, however they do now have a fragrance free version.


My hands have been especially bad recently due to housework and frequently washing my hands after washing up and changing nappies. The 8 hour cream has been amazing for soothing them, especially when used overnight.


I’ve had mine for a year now and still have a bit left despite constantly reaching out for it, so a little does go a long way. I also use this as eyebrow gel, cuticle cream, lip-gloss, lipstick primer and if I ever get a cut, scab or a minor burn I put some Eight hour cream on top and seal it with a cute little plaster tape!



Save: Vaseline pocket size Petroleum Jelly. (99p)

This product is so good it definitely deserves a second post. (See http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6907305758898179911#editor/target=post;postID=4541753161949024946).



This is definitely one product I tend to reach for on a regular basis and it’s a lifesaver. Truthfully, being a new mum means you probably won’t be able to wash your hair as often as you'd like or sometimes you're so exhausted you cannot be bothered to do the whole shampoo and conditioning hog even though your hair is screaming out for it. But, no one wants to walk around with a smelly, greasy mop of hair. Not only has this now become an essential but it is also one of my favourite beauty products.



Batiste Dry Shampoo refreshes hair between washes and removes grease to give hair more body and volume. It needs to be applied like a hairspray, sprayed from a 30cm distance for best results. I am currently using the 'Blush' version as I find it smells fresh and floral and it’s pink! The scent shouldn't really matter though as your hair doesn't really hold it in once it’s been applied. This will not let you down!



Save: Superdrug Dry Shampoo Away With The Fairies 150ML.


What are some of your essentials for budget beauty on the go?

xxxxx

                

Now available- The Brow Design Kit from Sigma.

http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=285947

Needless to say, this post will be kept short and sweet purely due to the fact that I have not yet tried this kit and therefore a full product review will be highly irrelevant at this stage.

I have always been a firm believer that clean brows via threading or waxing makes all the complete difference to a face, it gives you that groomed and 'awake' look even though you may have had only four hours sleep the previous night. Team it up with a good BB cream or tinted moisturiser, a few coats of a good mascara and a dash of lip gloss and you ll find that its simply enough to walk out of the house with, I cannot say the same for bushy, sparse eyebrows though.

I definitely feel more confident with freshly threaded eyebrows and more willing to talk to people, as silly as it may sound theres always that slight paranoia that they are not looking at my face but my manky eyebrows, even though of course this may not be the case with all people. In fact, I have stuck with the same eyebrow technician for a few years now and I would happily post pone getting my legs waxed but eyebrow threading is a must in my little beauty book, needless to say, she is on my speed dial.

I have come across a few 'average' shall I say eyebrow kits in my time, ranging from Benefits Brow Zings to the Body Shops eyebrow powder but neither has amazed me to a great extent.
So when Sigma decided to launch its Brow Design Kit, I thought it at least deserved a post on here. Now, lets be truthful, at $69 US Dollars which works out to be approximately £40 pounds, it is hardly cheap and may not be to every ones budget.

 Nevertheless, I haven't actually come across a Brow Design Kit that contains 15 pieces to give that definition and design to your brows. There is a similar 'Anastasia' kit from Sephora and even though it contains a brow gel and a eye de-puffing cream, it doesn't actually have scissors, a brow pencil or a sharpener.


This kit looks like its of a good size, ideal for daily use, MUA's, mums on the go and for travel and wont actually take up a lot of room. It contains a pair of scissors, tweezers, 3 brow stencils ranging from small, medium to large, a matte and shimmery dual ended brow pencil in both medium and dark, a pencil sharpener, 5 brow powder shades, a dual ended brow gel (clear and tinted) and finally, a dual ended brow brush (E75 and E80). They have also included a booklet for explaining how to use and get the most out of the kit as for some, it may be a little overwhelming at first!.

As well as being slightly on the pricier side, another negative aspect of this kit would be that the last colour 'Valentina' as shown in the image above may not be a suitable shade for those with darker hair.  However, I suppose you could always fill in your brows with a darker powder or pencil and use this shade to just fill it in lightly on top depends on how you want to play around with it. Putting the price aside though, if you consider just how much you get in this kit, if you are desperately in need of brow help, it may be worth considering, one thing for sure is that it will certainly last you a long time and give you 'wow brows'.  And remember, as this is more than $30 dollars, you receive a free complimentary gift with it!

Youtube Tutorial: How I Use My Sigma Brow Design Kit.



Available from Sigma, shop now at  http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=285947.

Disclaimer: This post contains no other links other than an affiliate link above.

MUA Heaven and Earth Palette Review.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but theres been a big hype lately over MUA cosmetics. Now, Ive got to admit, when I first came across MUA in Superdrug, it wasn't instantly love at first sight. The only thing that amazed me about it was the ridiculous low prices and I immediately mistook it for a brand targeted at miners. In fact, I couldn't have been more further from the truth.....

Yet, not being one to completely judge a book by its cover, I decided to check out the range and snoop further especially when their product range started to increase with face and eye primers, contour pens and BB creams to name a few and that's where I decided the brand definitely had potential and I am definitely not one to miss out on a big hype.


So of course, this meant that my wish list started to build up and right on top of it was the Heaven and Earth 12 eyeshadow palette which I stumbled across on a recent shopping trip  as well as many twitters tweeting away about it. Just the name is enough to keep you intrigued wouldn't you agree?


Without further ado, lets get down to the nitty gritty:


All their fabulous palettes come with 12 beautiful and complimentary shades so that a variety of looks can be created and at just £4, (Yes £4!) you basically need them all! The shadows are soft, blendable and easy to apply and surprisingly are quite pigmented for something so cheap. Has anyone also noticed how the third colour in the second row strongly resembles the 'All That Glitter's' Shadow from MAC?

If you favour the natural everyday look then this is definitely the palette for you. All the gorgeous shades are a combination of beiges, browns, bronzes and creams, enough for those natural wearable looks or can be played around with for that intense still favoured sultry smokey eye look a la Kim Kardashian for the evening. Just sweep the creams and beige's under a nicely threaded eyebrow, one of the nice bronze swept over the eyelids and finally, a brown for contouring and voila you have it! Easy, foolproof natural neutral/smokey eye.


Now here comes the best part, I am fortunate enough to own Urban Decays NAKED palette and whilst these may not be of the same quality and price range (Thank god to the latter!), they are still highly pigmented and impressively, glide on well, no fall outs with good staying power. For ease of application, I do recommend using a good blending and fluff brush though, as opposed to the eyeshadow applicator brush provided, just so that a good amount of the product can be picked up and blended well as personally I find eye shadow applicators a little 'amateur' and find that they do not work so well.

Another trick Ive managed to come across here is that dipping your brush in a drop and I mean just a drop of water to help in making the eye shadows glide on and build a heavier look. No eye primer is required as the shadow doesnt crease or smudge. Hoorah!

It might be worth mentioning however, that these shadows are not matte and powdery and may disappoint those that prefer this but the finish is satin like with just the right amount of shimmer making it perfect for every day wear particularly as I feel they are not quite as shimmery as NAKED, but certainly are a good dupe. Might be best to leave NAKED aside for those special occasions.

Also, it may be best to wrap the palette around in cotton wool....literally as if its had a bit of a rough ride or a fall on the floor, the shadows are likely to break, but the phrase, 'you get what you pay for' springs to mind here and at £4 you cannot really complain especially since the shadows are still usable. If I was to be a little picky, I would have liked to have seen some matte eyeshadows in here like UD's NAKED palette but like I said, that would be a little picky for £4.

To sum it up,  I really love this palette and plan on stocking up on it just in case MUA run out of stock or in the fear of it being discontinued, which I believe is highly unlikely though. You can imagine these must sell like hot cakes so if you are lured in, I suggest you put one or two in your basket and believe me, you will not regret it! Well done MUA!

Heaven and Earth can be purchased at all major Superdrug stores or on line at http://www.superdrug.com/make-up/icat/makeup/ or on the MUA cosmetics website at http://www.muastore.co.uk/.

Have any of you tried this palette? What do you think?




xxx